


The Water of Life

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-23
Updated: 2006-03-23
Packaged: 2019-02-02 18:29:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12731940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: Friday Night Challenge response: Still waters run deep theme, set on another planet.





	The Water of Life

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

"How is it that about ninety percent of the planets we get stuck on or get in trouble on are desert planets?"

/The fucking sun is peeling my skin, and I'd kill for a sweet, cold ice tea!/

"Well, it's because a good portion of the stars in the galaxy are giants or too hot, so the only life that can exist naturally is desert life, Colonel."

"Well, next time we're gonna get stuck on a beach planet, ya hear me, Major? One with long, cool drinks, long, cool beaches, and showers. Definitely needs to have showers."

/Well, I wanna tell ya something, I ain't any kind of desert life, and it is fucking hot, and my kids are dying in front of me. Shit, this is where being in command really sucks. When ya can't do anything to help the situation./

Carter smiled at me, her cracked lips looking real painful. "I'll make sure of it, Sir. Don't worry, Colonel, they'll get the gate up soon, I'm sure."

"Jack?"

/I have to make myself look at Danny. He's painfully sunburned despite the fact that he and Carter split all our available sunscreen between them. I can see why they wear robes on Abydos, it makes a good sunshade. His kissable lips are crusty with sores, too. I would give him the water from my own blood, if I could. But that isn't possible or drinkable./

"Yeah, Daniel?"

"Teal'c and I think we might have found a source of water, a water- bearing plant." He held out a piece of cactus for me to see.

"What if it's poisonous?"

"I tried it myself, O'Neill, as my symbiote will protect me from any poisons. It caused me no difficulties. We believe it is safe for Tau'ri consumption."

"Why don't I try it, Jack?"

"No! I'll do it. I'm the most expendable of all of us. Uh, what should I do with it?"

/I really know that, but I want to cheer him up, and Danny always gets cheered up when he gets to lecture at me./

"Just suck on the cut side, Jack. It might not taste too good, but it will give you liquid."

/That was too damned short. He must really be feeling bad./

"Okay. Here goes."

/Damn thing tastes like straight wood alcohol! Gaaah!/

"Hmmm, tastes like chicken!"

/Glad I could make my kids smile. Well, Teal'c smiled with his eyebrow, but he did smile./

"Well, I'm not dead, not shitting myself, not upchucking, so I guess we should get some more of this stuff."

"I brought several pounds of it with me in my backpack, O'Neill."

"Sir, I wonder if we could cook some of this stuff down in Daniel's coffee pot? Since it has a lid with only one small vent, we can entrap the steam with the condoms they include in the travel pack. That way we can purify it even more. What do you think?"

"Won't the condoms melt? They aren't, urh, exactly set up for covering a hot steam vent."

/Damned things are for me, a pointed criticism on my offworld behavior from the Little Napoleon./

"Right. I'll use a piece of my rain hat."

/I am so not going to ask what Carter is doing with a rain hat in the middle of a fucking desert. She might just tell me./

LATER

"Thank god, the sun's setting."

"Yeah. Now we can freeze to death again. Daniel, help me get the tent set up."

"Oh, sure. Sorry."

/We set up the tent in our usual efficient way, and into it I crawled, eager to snuggle close to Danny, even if he wasn't in too good of shape to make love. Hell, being honest, neither am I./

"Commere, you, and let me help keep you warm."

/Holding Danny is the best thing for aching joints and muscles and everything else which ails this old soldier. We all stink to high heaven, with no water to bathe, but I like a stinky Daniel./

"I feel a lot better after getting some liquid in me, Jack."

He nuzzled his nose into my neck as he said that. "You look better, too. So does Carter. I was getting kind of worried, there. You two are so damned fair."

"Right now, I'm thinking that we might even survive this."

"I never thought we wouldn't Danny. Can't afford not to, and still keep command."

I felt his lips graze my beard under my chin. "I wish I felt good enough to make love to you."

"We're both too dehydrated for that. But just being here with you is all I need, Danny."

"Mmmm. Me too, Jack. You know, you're my still pond of deep water. You refresh my body, my spirit, and my heart with your cool water."

"You know what you are to me, Danny?"

"What?"

I smiled and kissed his dusty hair. "You're my tall, frosty bottle of Bud."

"JAA-AAK!"


End file.
